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Changeling
Wyrd Wyrd determines a character's maximum glamour pool and maximum Contract ranks, but in a simpler fashion than in standard Changeling. A Changeling's glamour pool is equal to 10 + their Wyrd, and they can spend a number of glamour per turn equal to their Wyrd. For characters with a Wyrd rating between 1 and 5, all non-affinity Contracts are capped by the character's Wyrd trait, while affinity Contracts may be purchased up to rank (Wyrd + 1). Runaway Wyrd As presented in Dancers in Dusk, a Changeling's Wyrd can grow and overtake them without their control. Whenever a Changeling's Harvest fills them completely with Glamour with successes to spare, the Storyteller should roll their (Wyrd + extra successes – Clarity). Likewise, whenever they forge a new Pledge, the Storyteller should roll (Wyrd + total Pledges – Clarity). The character may Push themselves Socially to add or subtract dice from this roll, to a minimum roll of one chance die. Success on this roll causes the character's Wyrd to grow and evolve – each success adds 1 XP towards the character's next dot of Wyrd. Once sufficient XP has been invested, the character immediately gains the dot of Wyrd, but also simultaneously gains an additional minor Frailty – even if their new Wyrd score would normally be too low to require one. The character additionally gains the “Transformation of the Seeming” effects mentioned in Equinox Road. If those effects have already been applied, instead award an appropriate Merit based on their new Wyrd level – Gentrified Bearing (Wyrd 3+), Wyrdskill (Wyrd 5+), Token Master (Wyrd 7+), or Sublime (Wyrd 9+). Other supernatural Merits related to their Kith and Seeming might be picked up instead, at the Storyteller's discretion. As a second danger to this process, gaining Wyrd in this matter automatically causes a 4-dice check for Clarity loss, -1 die for each dot that the Changeling's Wyrd is higher than their Clarity. As Wyrd grows higher and Clarity grows lower, the process continues to accelerate, culminating in the daily check for Clarity loss at Wyrd 10 mentioned in Equinox Road and Rites of Spring. Once the Changeling reaches Wyrd 10 and Clarity 0, they become one of the Gentry, walking into the Hedge and joining the Game of Immortals. There is a way to permanently halt this process, however. By merging with (rather than killing) his fetch, a Changeling reincorporates that part of his soul that was used to create the fetch, healing the hole that wayward Glamour is pouring in through. He rolls his Wyrd; each success allows him to retain one dot of Wyrd above the first. For the rest of his life, the Changeling need not fear the slow encroaching madness – his Wyrd will only increase in a controlled fashion, when he chooses for it to. Lowering Wyrd To offset the ease and danger of runaway Wyrd, the process of lowering Wyrd has been eased slightly. When attempting to lower Wyrd, the character must empty themselves of Glamour, and may not gain nor spend any Glamour, use any Contracts, forge or break any Pledges, enter the Hedge, or otherwise interact with the supernatural in any way for a number of weeks equal to their Wyrd. While doing so, the Glamour addiction caused by having a Wyrd of 6+ is mitigated somewhat – the lethal damage that would normally be caused by Glamour starvation instead manifests as a loss of Willpower points, which may be replenished as normal by normal sleep (but not dream-walking). The addiction is still acutely painful, but is not lethal so long as the character spends the entire span fastidiously avoiding any use of their Wyrd. After a number of weeks equal to their Wyrd score, they may roll their Clarity + Willpower. If they achieve more successes than their current Wyrd, their Wyrd is lowered by one. Even if they fail, they may continue the process, gaining +1 to their die pool for every (Wyrd) weeks spent. Once their Wyrd is lowered, any Frailties that they picked up as a result of that Wyrd dot is also lost, as are any Merits or other Traits that are dependent on their old Wyrd rating. Clarity lost as the result of gaining Wyrd does not return, however, and must be re-purchased with experience. Becoming a Changeling Once someone has been kidnapped by the Fae, there is still some time to rescue them before their soul is irrevocably changed. If they are found and rescued, roll their Resolve + Composure, -1 per day since they were taken (from their perspective – remember that time in Faerie is subjective). On 5+ successes, they are still completely human. On 3+ successes, they are a permanently Enchanted Mortal. On a single success, they have been transformed into a Changeling, but have not yet developed a Kith or Seeming. On a dramatic failure, their Clarity has been stripped to 0, and they are one of the “soulless”. Supernatural creatures cannot become Changelings. Werewolves, however, can become Briar-Wolves if their Harmony is destroyed while in the Hedge, and Mages can be “taught” the Children of Danu Legacy at the cost of one dot of Wisdom and a permanent one dot reduction in their maximum Gnosis. Such tutelage at the hands of the Others is seldom kind or pleasant. Harvesting Glamour Harvesting Glamour is not a harmless process. Mortals who are 'fed' upon find the process enrapturing, but also somewhat emotionally draining. Mechanically, the Changeling is stealing a small amount of the mortal's Fate – at some point during the chapter, a mortal who has been Harvested from loses the 10-again quality for a single dice roll tangentially related to the type of emotion that was Harvested from them. For mortals that have entered into a Pledge of Glamour, they lose a single 10-again per day, which is hopefully made up for by the Pledge's Boon. Stealing glamour is a sin against Clarity 9 (5 dice). Worse, if a single mortal has more Glamour Harvested from them in a single day than their Willpower, they become listless and tired, losing the ability to spend Willpower for the remainder of the day. Mages, Werewolves and Vampires can also have Glamour harvested from them. Vampires become agitated, their Beast clawing to the surface with the surge of emotions that Harvesting whips up. They must make a frenzy check, with a dice pool modifier equal to the difference between the Vampire's Restraint and the Changeling's Wyrd. Werewolves and Mages lose something more precious to them – one point of Mana or Essence is lost whenever a Changeling Harvests from such a being. These effects occur instead of losing 10-again; the Harvest only takes its toll once. Glamour may also be harvested from the Hedge, or from places where the Hedge bleeds over into mundane reality called glens. Harvesting from the Hedge or a glen requires a Wyrd + Survival roll, with each success representing one glamour worth of goblin fruits gathered. Hedge-Spinning Hedgespun equipment may be constructed at any dot level, even past five dots. Hedgespinning requires an extended Dexterity + Crafts + equipment roll, with each roll representing one hour's time (or one minute's time while simultaneously using Contracts of Artifice 5). Complex mechanical devices such as automobile engines impart a -3 penalty to each roll, while intricate electronic devices such as televisions or computers impart a -5 penalty to each roll. Remember that the maximum number of rolls that can be made on one extended task are equal to the total final dice pool. The item requires a base number of successes equal to its Resource cost to construct; further successes are used to provide the item powers, as follows: Automation – 5 successes per Attribute dot built into the item, 3 successes per Skill dot, or 2 successes per Merit dot built into the item. Mobile automata require a minimum Strength and Dexterity of 1; Automata capable of sensory perception and decision-making require a minimum Wits of 1. The object is now animated and autonomous, and can make its own Attribute + Skill rolls as if it were a character. Automated objects also require 3 successes per dot of Size, to handle all the intricate wires, pulleys and gears that move them. Automations gain a Defense, Speed, Initiative, Willpower and Health boxes based on their Attributes. Combat Enhancement – 3 successes per +1 Defense bonus, or 2 successes per +1 Initiative, Speed, Armor/Durability, Armor-Piercing or Damage bonus. Attribute Enhancement – 5 successes per +1 Attribute bonus, up to a maximum of the crafter's Wyrd. Skill Enhancement – 3 successes per +1 Skill or equipment bonus, up to a maximum of the crafter's Wyrd. Merit Enhancement – 2 successes per +1 Merit bonus provided by the item. Merits should be appropriate to the nature of the item, such as Striking Looks for a gold tiara, or Eidetic Memory for an ornate and well-indexed diary. In addition to the time spent, each Dexterity + Crafts roll requires one point of Glamour spent (four if accelerating the process with Contracts of Artifice 5). Once the object is complete, “finalizing” the enchantment requires the expenditure of a point of Willpower. Alternatively, the crafter may choose to turn the Hedgespun item into a true Token, by crafting a Pledge directly into the object. The Pledge itself must be of Permanent duration (+3), balanced against the Glamour task (-2) and at least one other Task of at least Minor difficulty (-1). The Pledge's Sanctions become the Token's Catch, while the Pledge's Tasks become the Token's Drawback and activation cost. The Pledge's Boons add directly to the Token's bonuses when activated. Additionally, any number of Minor Blessing Boons may be incorporated which each add 3 effective successes to the item's creation roll (after the base required successes are reached naturally); these successes may be spent on any combination of enhancements listed above. Creating the Pledge and weaving it into the Token costs one dot of Willpower, which must be re-purchased with experience. Pledges (Oaths and Vows) Changelings and Mages can craft Pledges – Changelings through their natural connection of the Wyrd, and Mages through the Fate Arcana. Mage Pledges operate like spells (which they are), limiting the effective number that a Mage can easily sustain by their Stamina (like any other spells). Changelings, on the other hand, have a number of 'slots' of oaths and vows, as follows. In either case, each side of a Pledge has a Potency, determined by the total number of positive points chosen to construct it. Each dot of Potency requires one negative point to balance it. Changelings create Pledges by rolling Wits + Wyrd + Pledgecrafting as an extended action, allocating 1 point per success achieved. Points may be spent on: Duration – up to one week (+1), up to one season (+2), up to one decade (+3). A duration of “until death” may also be chosen at +3, by spending the necessary Experience to gain the Pledge as a Merit. Boon – +1 dot in a Skill (+1), Ensorcelment or Glamour (+2), or up to +3 dots in a Merit (+1 Potency per dot). Mortals who do not possess a given Merit gain 2 dots in that Merit per +1 Potency, up to 5 dots. These must be balanced by: Tasks – easy (-1), difficult (-2), or life-threatening (-3). Sanctions – minor (-1), major (-2), or life-threatening (-3). A Pledge may specify multiple Boons, Tasks and Sanctions, even specifying different Boons, Tasks and Sanctions for different parcipants. However, a single Pledge may only have one single Duration, which applies equally to all Participants. Wyrd Oaths A changeling may swear one Oath on each aspect of their existence that is important to their Wyrd. Each of these Oaths is more important than a normal Vow – in addition to the Sanction inposed by the pledge, breaking an Oath imposes a penalty appropriate to what it was sworn on. Oath on your True Name: Breaking an oath on your True Name is the most dangerous thing you can do, as it effectively breaks every Oath and Vow you have sworn simultaneously. If you cannot hold to that oath, then according to the Wyrd you are unworthy of any of them. Oath on your Keeper's Name: Breaking an Oath on your Keeper's Name is a terrifying ideal, as it alerts your Keeper to your whereabouts for the duration of the oath's Sanction. Oath on your Seeming: Breaking an Oath on your Seeming immediately costs you a dot of Wyrd or one dot of your Seeming's Tale, whichever is higher. Any Contract Clauses in excess of your new Tale and Wyrd limits become Goblin contracts. Oath on your Higher Power: Breaking an Oath on your Higher Power causes you to lose all Willpower points and suffer one aggravated Will damage, and be at -1 dice to all checks for Clarity loss for the duration of the oath's Sanction. You may not heal the Will damage until after the duration of the oath's Sanction. Oath on your Mask: Breaking an Oath on your Mask causes you to become separated from those parts of human society that you hold most dear, wracking your very sanity. You must immediately make a check for Clarity loss at between 0 and 6 dice, depending on the nature of the violation. Corporal Oaths A changeling may also swear Oaths on corporal symbols, which correspond to certain specific Merits. Breaking an Oath sworn on a symbolic connection causes the Merit associated with the Oath to be immediately and permanently stripped from the character, with no compensation. Your honor is forever tarnished, and the Merit may not be re-purchased without a significant ordeal to regain your good name in the eyes of your peers. Oath on your Court (requirement: one dot of Mantle per Oath) Oath on your Title (requirement: one Entitlement merit per Oath) Oath on your Livelihood (requirement: Resources ** or higher) Oath on your Friendship (requirement: one dot in Allies, Status, Retainer, or similar Merit per Oath) Vows In addition to Oaths, a Changeling may swear a number of vows equal to their Wyrd + Story. Unlike Oaths, swearing a Vow is much less dangerous – while they must face the Vow's Sanction, they do not suffer any further consequence. Nemesis Vows A changeling may also swear Vows on other Changelings, which can only be enforced by those changelings' actions. These Vows do not count against their Wyrd + Story limit. Typically, each side of a Nemesis Oath chooses the other side of the pledge as the Nemesis, or both sides choose a single Nemesis. This constrains the options for Sanctions somewhat – the only available Sanctions are Vulnerability and Pishogue, which allow the Nemesis to enact his revenge. Game Effects of Pledges The mechanical effects of an Oath or Vow typically revolve around the Adroitness and Blessing Boons. While a Skill or Merit may be pushed past 5 by a Boon, only a single Adroitness or Blessing Boon may apply to any given Skill or Merit; thus, the maximum amount that any single Skill may be boosted by Pledges is +1, and the maximum amount that any single Merit may be boosted by Pledges is +3. If a Merit does not have intermediary stages, then it cannot be boosted to a dot-level that it does not normally possess. For example, the Striking Looks Merit could not be boosted by 1 or 3 dots, because the Merit is only purchasable in even-number increments. Likewise, 4- and 5-dot Merits that have no lesser equivalents may not be granted to non-mortals by Boons, as the Blessing itself can only provide 3 dots of Merit, and there are no pre-existing dots for the Blessing to boost into the 4- or 5-dot range. Modular Pledges The following “Pledge Components” may be easily dropped into any Pledge, as their positive and negative effects are already balanced against each other, both thematically and point-wise. This ensures that the only portions of a Pledge that have to be tweaked are the Duration and the specifics of the initial Task. Adroitness and Blessings: Any Adroitness and Blessing Boons may be attached to any Pledge “for free” by taking the Poisoning of Boon Sanction. Potency: +1 per Merit or Skill dot. Mortals double all Merit dots gained and lost. Ensorcellment (Mortal Only): The Changeling takes the Task: Ensorcellment and the Boon: Glamour, while the Mortal takes the Boon: Ensorcellment and the Sanction: Vulnerability (Glamour). Potency: +2 to each side. Information: The Changeling adds the Task: Mentorship and the Sanction: Curse (Minor) while gaining the Blessing: Contacts 3 and Adroitness: Investigation +1, while the other oath-swearer takes the Task: Share Information and the Sanction: Curse (Medial), balancing it with Adroitness Boons to four different skills that the Changeling knows. Potency: +4 to each side. Apprenticeship: The Changeling adds the Task: Mentorship and the Sanction: Curse (Minor) while gaining the Blessing: Retainer 3, while the other oath-swearer takes the Task: Total Obedience and the Sanction: Vulnerability (Glamour) and Pishogue (Mask of Superiority and Growth of the Ivy), balancing it with Adroitness Boons to four different skills that the Changeling knows, and the Blessing: Mentor 3 (5 for Mortals). Potency: +3 for the Master, +7 for the Apprentice. Tales, Mantles, and Contracts There are two different kinds of Contracts – Tales and Mantles. A Tale Contract is a Contract with part of Faerie itself, and represents one of the five basic Tales that Faerie recognizes – Tales of Darkness, Tales of Nature, Tales of Nobility, Tales of Monsters and Tales of Prowess. All Changelings gain affinity with a single Tale Contract due to their Seeming, and gained the first dot of their Seeming's Tale during their Durance in Faerie. Technically, Wyrd itself is a kind of Tale Contract, sometimes referred to as the “Tale of Wyrd” or “Tale of Fate”. Mantle Contracts, on the other hand, are sworn with the world of men upon return from Faerie. In most of Changeling society, Mantle Contracts are sworn with one of the four seasons – Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. Changelings gain affinity with a single Mantle Contract when they swear fealty to one of the four Seasonal Courts, and gain their first dot of their Court's Mantle when they take their place within the Court's politics. Mantle Contracts may also require specific social prerequisites to raise – for example, only one Changeling within an entire Freehold may raise their rank in their court's Mantle to 5, and the Changeling who does so is the sovereign crown of that Season's Court. Raising a Tale or Mantle costs (new level x7) Experience, or (new level x5) Experience if that Tale or Mantle is favored. A Changeling's rank in each Tale or Mantle is limited by his Wyrd, or by his Wyrd + 1 for his Seeming's or Court's favored Tale. Clauses Each non-Goblin Contract has five or more Clauses, or specific abilities that the Contract grants. Whenever a new dot of a Contract is purchased, a single Clause at that dot level is automatically gained. Further Clauses at that level are purchased at (level x2) Experience for Affinity Contracts, or x3 for non-Affinity Contracts. Each Clause has a specific dice pool that is rolled, and a cost in Glamour that must be paid to activate it equal to the level of the Tale or Mantle necessary to purchase the Contract. Each Clause also has a Catch – a specific circumstance in which the Clause may be invoked without paying the Cost. The dice pool must still be rolled, however. All Contract Clauses follow the same dice pool mechanism: Court Contract Clauses always use some (Attribute + Skill + Mantle) as their Dice Pool, while Tale Contract Clauses always use some (Attribute + Skill + Tale) as their Dice Pool, and Fae Contract and Goblin Contract Clauses always use (Attribute + Skill + Wyrd) as their Dice Pool. Contract Clauses always cost an amount of Glamour to use equal to the Tale, Mantle or Wyrd rank required to learn them. Goblin Contracts Goblin Contracts at any dot level may be purchased by any Changeling or Fae-Touched, regardless of Wyrd. It's as if the Wyrd wants them to be learned, and used. Characters who do not meet the Contract's Wyrd requirements, however, must spend one additional point of glamour per point of difference between their Wyrd and the Contract's level. Any non-Court Contract's Clause may now be purchased as a Goblin Contract. By spending (3x dots) experience, and choosing a Storyteller-approved unavoidable negative “twist” for the Contract's effect, the character may learn a single power from a Contract without meeting any of its other prerequisites. A Goblin Contract may be re-learned as a normal Contract by purchasing all of its normal prerequisites (including any Contracts below it in its chain).